Puppy Mill Raided In Kaufman

A team of Sheriff's officers and Humane Society workers raided a puppy mill in Kaufman County Tuesday. They rescued more than 550 animals, mostly small dogs - from what they called one of the largest and most brutal operations they've seen in some time. KERA's Bill Zeeble has more

The late morning raid followed an investigation of a week or more that led officials to Kaufman County's Klassie Kennel on FM 90.

Pat Laney, with the Kaufman County Sheriff's Department, called the condition of the animals deplorable, and among the largest such raids in the county, which has had several before.

Laney: They were in cramped quarters. Most of them had feces on them, all of them. Almost all of them have a medical condition of some sort. Mange, ticks, fleas, cataracts. Puppies with cataracts. It's just heart breaking. You cannot go through something like this without it touching your heart.

Laney says the rescue lasted into the night. She says Vets checked all animals and some were in critical condition. They were moved to a temporary shelter in Kaufman County's fairgrounds. The Humane Society says it hopes most will eventually be adopted.

No one's been arrested, but officials believe two people ran the kennel. Each could face a Class A Misdemeanor charge. It carries a maximum 4 thousand dollar fine and up to a year in jail.